Travelling cylinder printer with the roller contacting the back of the embossed plate

ABSTRACT

Sharp dense images meeting the critical requirements of optical character recognition devices are imprinted on a document or document set from embossed characters on a credit card or the like by an apparatus and method wherein a rotating pressure roll applies pressure along a rolling line of contact to and through the smooth side of the credit card to cause the embossments to contact and exert compressive pressure on the document or set and effect image transfer from an imaging medium (such as carbon paper, inked ribbon or a pressure-sensitive carbonless coating) that is interposed between the document and a fixed flat platen against which the document or set is pressed.

United States Patent Holovka, Jr. 1 Oct. 30, 1973 [54] TRAVELLING CYLINDER PRINTER WITH 2,854,921 10/1958 Frankle et a1 101/56 THE ROLLER CONTACTING THE BACK OF a i au THE EMBOSSED PLATE 3,279,369 10/1966 Wight 101/269 [75] Inventor: Charles Holovka, Jr., Hightstown, 3,418,933 12/1968 Schaefer 101/274 [73] Assignee: International Business Machines 'f Exami'fer Rbert Pulfrey Corporation, Armonk, NY. Assistant ExammerE. M. Coven Attorney-Henry E. Otto, Jr, [22] Filed: July 1, 1971 1 1 pp 158,750 57 ABSTRACT Sharp dense images meeting the critical requirements US. Cl. of optical character recognition devices are imprinted [5 on a document or document et from embossed char- [58] Fleld of Search IOl/SS, 56, 93 C, acters on a credit card or the by an apparatus and 0 0 133, 172 method wherein a rotating pressure roll applies pressure along a rolling line of contact to and through the 1 References Cited smooth side of the credit card to cause the emboss- UNITED STATES PATENTS ments to Contact and exert compressive pressure on 2,858,004 10/1958 Febvre 197 151 the document of Set and effect image transfer from an 1,063,084 5 1913 Thomson 101 22 imaging medium (such as Carbon P p inked ribbon 2,328,636 9/1943 Fitch et al.... 197/49 or a pressure-sensitive'carbonless coating) that is in- 2,582,187 1/1952 Wolowitzn... 10l/90. terposed between the document and a fixed flat platen 2,606,494 8/1952 Vogt 101/269 ainst which the document or set is pressed, 2,686,469 8/1954 Toggenburger.. [01/46 2,775,936 1/1957 Curtis 101/269 6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures 1 42 o I I E) 42 E I 1 PAIENIEnucr 30 Ian 13,768,404

' sum 16F 3 FIG.2

IN VE/V TOR CHARLES HOLOVKA,JR.

y 3147 EQQZ ATT R/VEY SHEET 30F 3 PAIENIEB um 30 1975 m: 5 2x wwf TRAVELLING CYLINDER PRINTER WITH THE ROLLER CONTACTING THE BACK OF THE EMBOSSED PLATE This invention relates to apparatus and methods for imprinting on documents or document sets images corresponding to indicia embossed on credit cards or the like, and relates more particularly to improved imprinting apparatus and methods wherein imprinting is accomplished by disposing the credit card between the pressure roll and the document or set and applying pressure to the smooth side of the credit card to press the card against a fixed platen.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In imprinting apparatus and methods heretofore proposed, the paper stock to be imprinted is positioned between a roller and the printing member. Usually an inked pressure roll (or an uninked pressure roll that bears on the uncoated side of a carbon sheet) presses the paper against the embossed characters projecting from the credit card, while the smooth side of the credit card bears against a fixed platen.

With such an arrangement, imprinting quality deteriorates substantially in direct proportion to paper thickness as it increases above 0.004 inch and to paper density as it increases above 25 pounds per ream. Hence, where paper thickness or density exceeds these limits, difficulty has been experienced in obtaining images of sufficient sharpness and intensity as to be readable reliably by optical character recognition devices. Also, it has been found that, with this conventional arrangement, certain characters or portions thereof tend 'to flatten; e.g., the the and those segments of characters such as E, F, J, K, L, T, V, X, and 2 that are in the nature of extensions. This flattening causes a bubble imprint that results from an excessive ink deposit in the flattened areas and a thinner normal line within the remaining portion of the character. This, in turn, also interferes with reliable reading of the character both by humans and by optical character recognition devices.

There is a need for a relatively inexpensive and simple apparatus and method for providing sharper, denser images that can be reliably readable by optical recognition devices when imprinted in proper font on paper products or sets having an aggregate thickness exceeding 0.004 inch or a density greater than 25 pounds per ream, while at the same time minimizing if not eliminating flattening of the characters in the manner above described.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Toward this end, and according to the invention, Applicant has found quite unexpectedly that these desirable objectives can be achieved by having a pressure roll apply pressure to the smooth back side of an embossed plastic credit card (instead of to the paper overlying the embossed characters). As pressure is thus applied to the smooth side of and through the credit card, the embossed characters exert compressive pressure on the paper as it is pressed against an imaging medium (such as carbon paper) and a fixed platen adjacent said medium. Moreover, as the pressure roll applies pressure along a moving line of contact against the smooth side of the credit card, pressure is transmitted in-line through the credit card successively to all parts of each character (rather than the pressure roll riding up and down as it moves in rolling rippling contact with the paper and past the embossed characters). Furthermore, all indicia imprinted in suitable font is of a quality readable by an optical character recognition device (rather than merely the account number, as in conventional apparatus); this permits computer verification of all embossed data on the credit card with the source data. Variable data from manually adjustable strips, as well as the fixed data on the credit card, may be entered concurrently with the fixed data. Imprinting is effected by a single stroke movement of the pressure roll in either direction across the credit card and strips. This enables imprinting from one credit card on one stroke and from a succeeding credit card on the return stroke.

Other advantages will become apparent from the following more detailed description of the invention and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of one embodiment of an imprinting apparatus wherein embossed data from successive credit cards is imprinted on an incremented paper tape to enable optical scanning and computer vertification against the input data;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view, to substantially enlarged scale, of a portion of the apparatus shown in- FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a left side view taken along line 3--3 of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view taken in the direction of line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a portable imprinting apparatus constructed according to another embodiment of the invention that enables concurrent imprinting of both fixed and variable data; and

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 66 of FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION--FIGS. l to 4 The imprinting apparatus according to this embodiment of the invention comprises a freely rotatable steel pressure roll 10 that is mounted on a shaft 11. The ends of shaft 11 are journaled in bearings 12 (FIG. 2) in a block 13. Block 13 is supported on two longitudinally spaced pairs of roller followers 14,15 (FIGS. 3,4) that ride in two slot-like cam tracks 17 provided, respectively, in upper and lower plates 18,19 forming part of a U-shaped housing 20. An actuator arm 21 has an extension 22 that projects through slot 17 in lower plate 19 and is connected to block 13 for shifting the latter leftward and then rightward, as viewed in FIG. 3, through a pin 24 riding in a groove 25, provided in a shaft 26. Shaft 26 is rotated a half revolution in a clockwise direction by a pulley-driven belt 27 powered by a half-revolution clutch (not shown) during each imprinting cycle.

Note that groove 25 has a right-hand lead portion formed in one-half of the periphery of shaft 26 and joining a left-hand lead portion formed in the remainder of the periphery of the shaft and rejoining the righthand portion, thereby providing an endless groove that causes pin 24 to move rightward from one extreme position to the other upon one energization of the clutch, and leftward to its initial extreme position during the next succeeding energization of the clutch, for thereby operatively moving pressure roll 10 from its leftmost position to its rightmost position and then back to its leftmost position, respectively.

As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, credit cards 30 are advanced upright long-edge down between upper and lower guide channels 31,32 from an embossing station (not shown) into the nip of a feed roll 33 and a springloaded idler roll 34. When the leading edge of a credit card 30 strikes a microswitch 35, suitable means including a control circuit (not shown) will be activated for causing a sprocket-driven chain 36 through its longitudinally spaced, laterally projecting pusher fingers 37, to advance the credit card and preceding credit cards leftward as viewed in FIG. 4, until the leading edge of the leading credit card 30 strikes a retractable stop 38 and simultaneously strikes a microswitch 39 to operatively said control circuit; whereupon further movement of the credit card will temporarily cease, with said card then registered at an imprinting station, in which it is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, and according to a feature of the invention, when a credit card 30 is at the imprinting position, a paper tape 41 or other record to be imprinted will be disposed between the embossments on said credit card and an imaging medium, such as an inked ribbon 43, that is backed up by a stationary flat platen 44.

Paper tape 41 is dispensed incrementally in an upward direction, as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2, between the credit card 30 and the platen 44 from a supply roll (not shown) around suitable idler rolls under action of an intermittently rotated drive roll 45. Ribbon 43 is incremented in the opposite direction (i.e., downward as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2) between tape 41 and platen 44, with the inked surface of ribbon 43 facing the tape. Ribbon 43 is unwound from supply roll 48 and between and around suitable idler rolls under action of an intermittently rotated drive roll 49. These movements of tape 41 and ribbon 43 are initiated upon closure of microswitch 35 and terminated upon opening of microswitch 39 by suitable circuitry (not shown), that effects a partial rotation of the drive rolls 45 and 49.

As is customary, one line of embossments 42a representing the account field is higher than the remaining lines of embossments 42 to quarantee a clear machine readable imprint of that field. Accordingly, and as illustrated in FIG. 2, platen 44 preferably has a flat surface 52 which is recessed relative to the main flat surface 53 an amount corresponding to degree by which the height of embossments 42a exceed that of embossments 42.

OPERATION--FIGS. 1 to 4 followers 14,15 as they move rightward in cam tracks 17. As followers 14,15 move down ramps 17a in tracks 17, pressure roll will be moved toward platen 44. As a result, roll 10 will move credit card 30 from a normal position, in which it is shown in FIG. 2, toward paper tape 41 for compressing and squeezing the card against the tape, ribbon 43 and platen 44.

As pressure roll 10 continues to move rightward from the position in which it is shown in FIGS. 3,4, it will move parallel to the credit card and apply compressive pressure against the smooth back side of the card along a moving line of contact. As this occurs, the successive embossments 4211,42 along each line of embossments, will progressively be pressed against the paper tape for imprinting on the tape from the ribbon 43 a rightreadable image corresponding to the embossed indicia on the card, while the tape is backed up by the flat surfaces 52,53 of platen 44. The relieved surface 52 will assure that substantially equal pressure will be applied to embossments 42 and the higher embossments 42a to provide a uniformly sharp machine and human readable image of all embossed indicia.

As followers 14 successively reach and then ride up ramps 17b, pressure roll 10 will operatively be withdrawn from pressing contact with the credit card and enable the card to resume its aforesaid normal position. Shaft 26 will now complete its half revolution and stop rotating. Pin 24 will be at the right end of groove 25; and hence arm 21, followers 14,15, and thus block 13 and roll 10, will come to rest in their respective rightmost positions.

Shortly thereafter, the leading edge of the next credit card 30 will strike and close microswitch 35; whereupon the cycle will be repeated. More specifically, chain 36, tape 41 and ribbon 43 will increment until a credit card 30 becomes registered against stop 38 and strikes microswitch 39; however, this time the half revolution of shaft 26 will move pin 24 and hence arm 21 to their leftmost positions for causing followers 14 to move successively down ramps 17b and then up ramps 17a for causing the pressure roll 10 to move successively into and then out of imprinting contact with the credit card.

Note that when microswitch 35 is closed, it also completes a time delay circuit (not shown) for energizing a solenoid 54 to retract stop 38 for a time interval sufficient for a credit card 30 to be moved beyond the imprinting station by its pusher finger 37; whereupon shortly after the finger has moved past stop 38, the solenoid will be deenergized for extending the stop to intercept the next card.

It is to be noted that paper tape 41 and ink ribbon 43 are preferably incremented in opposite directions, as illustrated, in order to effect spearation of the tape from the ribbon with a shearing-type action to minimize feathering of the edges of the imprinted characters.

DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION--FIGS. 5 and 6 The portable imprinting apparatus according to this embodiment of the invention comprises pressure rolls 100,101 that are rotatably connected to a block 102. A link 103 connects block 102 to a block 104 to which is rotatably connected a pressure roll 105. Blocks 102, 104 are disposed between side plates 106,107 of a sectionalized housing 108. Rolls 100,101,105 move in a path prescribed by pairs of roller followers 109,110 that ride in cam slots 111 provided in plates 106,107. Housing 108 has one opening 112 providing a bed for supporting an embossed credit card 113, and another opening 1 14 providing a bed for supporting a vendors embossed identification plate 115 and a date plate 1 l6.

A plurality of strips 117 bearing embossed or typewriter-like raised characters 0-9 are movable transversely of the path of roll 105. Manually adjustable knobs 118 are movable in slide tracks 119 to expose and register the characters corresponding to the amount of sale through a rectangular slot 120 in the housing.

In operation, assume that credit card 113, plates 115,116 and strips 117 are positioned as shown in FIG. 5, with their embossments facing upward; that a paper sheet 121 (FIG. 6) to be imprinted is positioned in overlying relation to said embossments; that overlying the sheet is the coated side of a sheet of carbon paper 122; and that a slidably guided flat platen 123 is suitably secured in an operative position in which it overlies the credit card, plates and strips, as shown.

Assume now that a handle 124 connected to block 104 is pulled rightward as viewed in FIG. 6. As handle 124 pulls block 104 and hence block 102 through link 103, followers 109, 110 will successively ride up ramps 1lla,b, then horizontally, and finally down ramps 11lc,d of cam slots 111. During this movement, pressure rolls 100,101 will exert compressive pressure on the smooth back side of credit card 113 and plates 1 15,1 16, while pressure roll 105 will exert similar pressure on the smooth -back side of the portions of the strips 117 exposed through slot 120.

It will thus be seen that, according to both embodiments of Applicants invention, a direct in-line application of embossing pressure is achieved because the pressure rolls apply pressure in a moving line of contact along the smooth back side of the credit card and any plates such as 115, 116 or strips such as 117. The pressure rolls do not move up and down as they advance past the embossments, such as occurs when the pressure roll faces the embossments as in imprinting arrangements heretofore employed.

It will also be noted that, in each embodiment, imprinting is effected during a complete stroke in either direction, eliminating the need for an ineffectual return stroke.

It will be understood that other suitable types of imaging medium may be employed if desired. For example, a right-reading image can be achieved by applying a carbonless pressure-transferable coating to that side of the document to be imprinted that faces the platen, thereby eliminating the need for either an ink ribbon or carbon paper. Or the platen 44 or 122 may be provided with ink-impregnated hard flat surfaces and the inked ribbon 43 or carbon sheet 121 eliminated. Hence, the imaging medium may be either a separate element as 43 or 121 or associated with the element 41 or 120 to be imprinted or associated with the platen 44 or 122.

It should also be understood that if mirror images (rather than, or in addition to, right-readable images) are desired, they may readily be achieved by providing ink, carbon or carbonless coating adjacent the opposite side of the tape or sheet from that shown in the drawings. For example, to imprint a mirror image on tape 41, insert ink ribbon 43 (or an additional ribbon) between the tape and credit card 30 with its inked side facing the tape. Or, if preferred, tape 41 or single sheet 121 may be replaced with a three-ply set comprising a card, double-faced carbon, and slip, to give a rightreading image on the slip or card adjacent the credit card and a mirror image on the card or slip adjacent the platen.

In view of these variations, the term document" as used in the claims is intended generically to cover paper or cardstock in discrete or web form, or a set of sheets or webs comprising paper slips and/or cards with interleaved carbon sheets or their equivalents.

It will be apparent that the foregoing and other variations may be made without departing from the spirit, scope and teaching of the present invention. Accordingly, the apparatus herein disclosed is to be considered merely as illustrative, and the scope of the invention is to be limited only as specified in the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Credit card imprinter apparatus for imprinting a plurality of right readable images on a document with an imaging medium from a corresponding plurality of right readable embossments projecting from one side of a unitary flat credit card printing member having a substantially smooth opposite side, said apparatus comprising a hard platen providing a flat back-up surface,

means for positioning the printing member at an imprint station with its embossments disposed directly adjacent the document,

means for positioning the imaging medium closely adjacent to and between the document and backup surface, with an imaging side of said medium adjacent the document,

means including at least one smooth-surfaced freely rotatable roll as a pressure element,

means supporting each roll and adapted to be moved for moving such roll generally linearly, and cam track and follower means for guiding each roll during such linear movement for concurrently causing each roll to rotate and make rolling contact with the smooth side of the printing member and to also move relative to the platen in a controlled path generally parallel to lines of embossments to exert pressure on said smooth side along a moving line of contact for applying pressure to the smooth side of and through the printing member to cause the embossments to contact and exert compressive pressure on the document and press the document against the medium and cause the medium to be solidly backed up by contact with said back-up surface to effect image transfer from the medium to the document, thereby to imprint the document with the right-readable images. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the imaging medium is provided by an element that is movable intermittently and incrementally in one direction, and the document is movable intermittently and incrementally in the opposite direction to separate the medium from the document with a shear-type action.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cam track has complementary ramps adjacent each end of its stroke for causing each roll to move successively toward and away from the platen during its movement by the roll supporting means through a complete stroke in either direction along .said path past and beyond the imprint station.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first-mentioned positioning means comprises a pair of oppositely arranged guide tracks and a pusher for incrementally advancing successive members between said tracks in one direction to the imprint station, and

greater extents than the remaining indicia, wherein said platen is a fixed plate means which is flat except for relieved areas adjacent those portions of the member which, when at the imprint station, project said greater extents, thereby to assure that substantially the same pressure will be applied to all embossments to assure that the images produced therefrom will be of equal density and sharpness capable of optical reading by an optical character recognition machine. 

1. Credit card imprinter apparatus for imprinting a plurality of right readable images on a document with an imaging medium from a corresponding plurality of right readable embossments projecting from one side of a unitary flat credit card printing member having a substantially smooth opposite side, said apparatus comprising a hard platen providing a flat back-up surface, means for positioning the printing member at an imprint station with its embossments disposed directly adjacent the document, means for positioning the imaging medium closely adjacent to and between the document and back-up surface, with an imaging side of said medium adjacent the document, means including at least one smooth-surfaced freely rotatable roll as a pressure element, means supporting each roll and adapted to be moved for moving such roll generally linearly, and cam track and follower means for guiding each roll during such linear movement for concurrently causing each roll to rotate and make rolling contact with the smooth side of the printing member and to also move relative to the platen in a controlled path generally parallel to lines of embossments to exert pressure on said smooth side along a moving line of contact for applying pressure to the smooth side of and through the printing member to cause the embossments to contact and exert compressive pressure on the document and press the document against the medium and cause the medium to be solidly backed up by contact with said back-up surface to effect image transfer from the medium to the document, thereby to imprint the document with the right-readable images.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the imaging medium is provided by an element that is movable intermittently and incrementally in one direction, and the document is movable intermittently and incrementally in the opposite direction to separate the medium from the document with a shear-type action.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cam track has complementary ramps adjacent each end of its stroke for causing each roll to move successively toward and away from the platen during its movement by the roll supporting means through a complete stroke in either direction along said path past and beyond the imprint station.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first-mentioned positioning means comprises a pair of oppositely arranged guide tracks and a pusher for incrementally advancing successive members between said tracks in one direction to the imprint station, and the document is a paper web or the like that is incremented past the imprint station in another direction at right angles to said one direction.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the imaging medium is an inked ribbon interposed between the platen and web with its inked side facing the web, and the ribbon is incremented past the imprint station in a direction generally opposite said other direction.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 1 for use with printing members having embossed indicia projecting greater extents than the remaining indicia, wherein said platen is a fixed plate means which is flat except for relieved areas adjacent those portions of the member which, when at the imprint station, project said greater extents, thereby to assure that substantially the same pressure will be applied to all embossments to assure that the images produced therefrom will be of equal density and sharpness capable of optical reading by an optical character recognition machine. 